Laser Power Transmission

Laser power transmission is a form of wireless power transmission that uses concentrated laser light — typically in the near-infrared spectrum — to deliver energy from a source to a photovoltaic receiver. In SBSP contexts, a laser transmitter aboard an orbital platform would direct a high-intensity beam at a ground-based or airborne receiver equipped with photovoltaic cells tuned to the laser wavelength. Compared to microwave beaming, laser transmission offers a much smaller beam footprint and does not require regulatory frequency coordination. However, it faces significant constraints including atmospheric absorption and scattering (particularly in clouds and precipitation), pointing accuracy requirements at orbital distances, and safety concerns related to the intensity of the beam. Laser WPT has been demonstrated at laboratory and short-range scales. Its viability for full-scale SBSP applications remains under research.